INTOXICATED MOTORIST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19508, 11 December 1926, Page 13

INTOXICATED MOTORIST

A COI.LIWON IN BROADWAY. BRICKLAYER'S SECOND LAPSE. FINED AND LICENCE CANCELLED. As a result of being intoxicated "while in charge of a niotof-car in Broadway, Newmarket, on Thursday afternoon, William Pine Knight, aged 54, master bricklayer, was fined £lO in the. Police Court yesterday and had his driving licence cancelled for six months. Frederick G. Lee said he was driving wlong Broadway in (lie direction of Epsom at a slow speed. He crossed tho. intersection of Renin era Road, when a car suddenly tufned out from the footpath in front of him without warning and collided with him. Witness back to see the driver, who made a rush at him and had to be restrained by. his friends. The driver did not appear to lie drunk, but had certainly had some liquor.

Constable Tierney said accused admitted lie was the driver of the car. Witness tried to obtain a statement from him, but he was too drunk to give one. He eon.ld not say where he had been or whexe ha was going. Ho was drunk enough to be locked up, without being in charge of a car. When told he was under iirresfc he said, "I will get a doctor," but he did not mention a doctor again.

Constable White said accused was thick in his speech and unsteady on bis feet, but was noli "staggering drunk." He was too drunk to be in charge of s vehicle. Fall from a Stepladder. Mr. McLivef said accused had two drinks during the day, one at Onehunga and on?, at Newmarket. Over & week ago he fell from a stepladder, striking his heiul and, as a result, was in bed until Inst Tuesday. On Wednesday ha was out; for the first time and had two drinks. On Thursday he bad to visit some Oif his workmen and, while passing through Newmarket, was stopped by some friends, who insisted on taking him into the hotel for a drink. Ho had one long beer and then went out and got into his caf.

Accused gave evidence on the lines of counsel's statement, and said he asked or ft doctor to be called at the time of his a.rrest and again when ho was in the watchhouse.

Senior-Sergeant Edwards: How many constables were there in the watch-house at the time? Accused: There were three or four of thorn, taking my name and everything I had belonging to me. (Laughter.) Archibald Waters, a passenger in the car, said he hod been employed by accused since July. Accused was a careful and competent driver. 110 was in the ho'.el at .Newmarket for a quarter j of an hour. The Magistrate, Mr. ■ Hunt: That is a long time for one drink. Degrees in the Offence. Witness said accused was certainly not intoxicated. Ho admitted that, when giving a statement to a constable after the accident, he said bo would rather not comment on accused's condition. The police watch-house keeper gave evidence that accused was under the in* fluence of liquor atid did not ask tor » doctor while at the watcthouee. Jn convicting accused, the magistrate said there were degrees in this offence as m others. Accused had not, beea well and had not touched lic.uor for a long period, so that a little would upset him. Ho would not, therefore, be fined as much as he would in . other circumstances. ■ r ' , The senior-sergeant Bald accused was convicted of a similar offence in 3924, and was fined for drunkenness last year.